Don’t Accept a Settlement for Car Accident Injuries Immediately After an Accident
In the aftermath of a serious car accident, your first priority is getting care for your injuries and recovering from the trauma of the wreck. However, almost as soon as you are hurt, the other driver’s insurance company will make it a priority to limit your ability to recover compensation for the accident. One way insurance companies accomplish this is by taking advantage of victims while they are still reeling from the accident—sometimes approaching victims with a settlement offer only hours or days after the crash.
Unfortunately, these settlement offers rarely take the full needs and rights of the victim into account. Although the insurance adjuster may seem friendly and sympathetic, victims should be suspicious of any initial offers made so soon after a wreck. These offers are often not enough to cover the costs of initial treatment, let alone any additional treatments that the victim may need in the coming weeks, months, and years. Especially if your injuries are very severe or costly to treat, the insurance company may try to trick you into accepting a settlement offer:
- Before you understand your injuries. The other driver’s insurance company may try to get you to accept an initial settlement shortly after the accident or even while you’re still in a hospital bed. However, there’s no way to know what the full cost of your injuries will be while you’re still being treated, and it’s important to talk to an attorney first to make sure the settlement being offered will cover all of your needs.
- Before you understand your rights. Insurance companies know that you are worried about your injuries and your future in the aftermath of an accident. Some may try to tempt you with a settlement for your injuries on the spot or use tricks to get you to sign away your rights before you understand what your rights to compensation really are.
Taking Steps Now to Prepare Yourself in Case of an Accident
No matter how you try to prepare yourself, it’s hard to remember what to do in the panic following an actual accident, especially if you have been hurt. If you have found the information in this article helpful, you might also want to check out our FREE Auto-Accident-App for mobile phones. The App is designed to help you protect your rights by walking you through the first steps you need to take at the scene of the accident and also putting you in immediate contact with emergency services and other support systems. The App is completely free to anyone who might find it helpful, and we encourage you to try it yourself or share the link with the drivers among your friends and family members.
